Art of manufacturing flour



(No Model.)

' J. B. WHEATLEY.

ART OF MANUFACTURING FLOUR. V 1 No. 298,259. Patented May'6, 1884.

N4 PETERS. FhowLilhognplur. Wuhingwn. n. (L

I sequent reductions; and by mixing the several UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. WVHEATLEY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO AUGUST HEINE, OF SILVER GREEK, NEW YORK.

ART OF MANUFACTURING FLOUR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,259, dated May 6 1884-.

Application filed July 3, 1883'. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN B. WHEATLEY, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and'State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Art of Manufacturing Flour, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in the manufacture of flour by the system. of

, gradual reduction, and is designed to elimiand delivered into a separating-reel, where it is further separated. The flour which is obtained from the first and second breaks or reductions is darker and contains more impurities than thatwhich is obtained from the subgrades of flour, as heretofore practiced, the

. pure flour which is obtained from the last reductions is deteriorated by the impurities contained in the flour derived from the first reductions.

The object of my invention is to remedy this difficulty; and it consists of the methods which will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

The accompanying drawing represents a train of machinery which may be employed in practicing my improved method of manufacturing flour.

A represents a roller-mill or other suitable reduction-machine, whereby the grain is coarsely broken, so as to liberate the dirt and other impurities adhering to the kernels.

B represents a separating reel or sieve, ordinarily called a scalping-reel, whereby the flour and fine grits produced in the first reduction are separated from the coarse fragments of the grain. The quantity of flour produced in the first reduction is very small, and the flour is discolored by the impurities which are liberated or detached from the grain, and are of about the same fineness as the flour, so that they will pass through the same bolting-cloth through which the flour passes. The flour and discharged from the reel through a spout, 0,

into a middlingspurifier, D. The flour from which the impurities have been separated by the centrifugal reel 0 is conducted by a spout, c, to the flour-bin. In the middlings-purifier D the tailings from the centrifugal reel are subjected tothe combined action of sieving and an air-current, whereby the impurities are removed from the grits and the latter prepared to be ground into flour.

A represents the second reduction-machine, which receives the tailings from the scalpingreel B and reduces the same to a greater degree of fineness. The reduced material passes from the reduction-machine A into the second scalping-reel, B, which effects a separation of the flour and fine grits from the coarse fragments of the grain. V The fine material which has passed through the meshes of the reel B is conducted by a spout, d, to a centrifugal reel, 0, which separates the fiour from the grits and light impurities. The flour passes through the nfeshes of the reel, and is conducted by a spout, d, to the flour-bin, while the grits and light impurities escape over the tail of the reel O, and are delivered into the purifier D by a spout, d. The flour whichis derived from thecentrifugal reels 0 G is comparatively pure, and may be mixed toget-her; or, if desired, the flour from each centrifugal reel may be stored separately. The

grits derived from each centrifugal reel may I be purified by a separate middlings-purifier, if

desired.

A represents the third reduction-machine,

which receives the tailings from the second scalping-reel, B, and reduces the same further. The reduced material is delivered into the third scalping-reel, B which effects a separation of the flour and fine grits or middlings from the coarser fragments of the grain, the flour and fine grits passing through a spout, a, into a centrifugal reel, 0 while the coarse failings are delivered into the next reductionmachine, A.

B is a sealping-reel, which receives the reduced material from the reduction-machine A and effects aseparation of the flour and line grits from the bran. The flour and grits or middlings are delivered by a spout, f, into the centrifugal reel C", while the bran is discharged through a spout, The centrifugal reel C effects a separation of the flour from the middlings and light impurities, the flour passing through a spout, 71, into the flour-bin, while the middlings are delivered into a mid dlings-purifier, 1'), by which they are freed from theimpurities and prepared to be ground into flour.

The purified middlings obtained from the purifiers D and D are ground into flour in any suitable manner, and the flour so produced is separated by suitable reels in the usual manner, and either mixed with the flour derived from the centrifugal reels 0 C G or kept as a separate grade, as may be preferred. The centrifu gal reels effect a complete separation of the ilour from the accompanying impurities, and

their employment in the second separation of the product of each reduction produces a clear, pure flour, which is fit to be mixed with the high grades derived from the subsequent reductions, and which does not discolor or deteriorate the higher grades with which it is mixed. The flour derived from the scalping-reels of the last reductions is usually sufficiently free from impurities to permit these grades to be separated conjointly by the same centrifugal reel; or, if preferred, a separate centrifugal reel may be employed for the second separation of each reduction.

I claim as my invention- The herein-described improvement in the art of manufacturing flour by the gradual reduction of grain, which consists in reducing the grain by successive breaks, separating the products of each reduction into flour and coarse fragments by bolting or sifting, separating the flour derived from each separation from the accompanying impurities and grits by beating and sifting, and purifying the tailings of this separation by sifting and air-currents, substantially as set forth.

J. B. W HEATLEY.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. GEYER, JNO. J. BONNER. 

